According to research published in Social Psychological Bulletin, meat eaters in Poland may find vegetarians’ dating profiles less attractive than those who don’t mention their dietary habits.
The aim of the study, conducted by Dominika Adamczyk of the University of Warsaw, was to investigate the impact of dietary choices, specifically vegetarianism, on perceptions of male attractiveness and suitability as partners. These results were driven by the cultural value of food in romantic relationships and the broader social consequences of gender roles and traditional values in Poland. The study proposed that vegetarianism may challenge traditional norms and lead to prejudice among omnivores.
The researchers conducted an online experiment with 404 heterosexual meat eaters, including 204 women and 200 men, to examine potential partners whose dietary habits had been changed for ethical, environmental, health or control conditions, in order to test their compatibility with potential partners.
The profiles were evaluated by participants through the use of a “feeling thermometer,” which measures various variables such as their level of sensitivity, tendency to date, gender compatibility, and masculinity or femininity. In addition, participants’ meat-eating status was evaluated to determine how they viewed it.
Results indicated that vegetarians were consistently rated higher than nonvegetarian vegetarian profiles. Similarly, individuals who considered themselves motivated for health reasons were ranked lower than those who viewed them negatively on a number of factors, such as their willingness to date, masculinity, femininity, and gender conformity. Additionally, ethically motivated vegetarians were less likely to be rated negatively as men than ethically motivated female vegetarians.
The researchers found that vegetarianism had an impact on how masculine and feminine individuals viewed each other.
The findings were analyzed by researchers who analyzed various cultural and psychological theories. One theory suggests that the “similarity effect” may be the reason why people are attracted to individuals who share similar values and lifestyles. As a result, individuals may feel less interested in meat eaters as partners because they do not feel deeply indebted to them.
Furthermore, in a patriarchal, traditional society (such as Poland), vegetarianism may also be considered freedom of choice, a concept that is typically seen as a rejection of traditional norms, especially for men: in their cultural sense of strength and masculinity, eating meat is ascribed to the right to meat, so this situation in Poland cannot be considered as a rejection of patriarchal expectations of male conduct.
The role of vegetarians’ motivation was also a notable finding: “healthy-minded vegetarians faced the least prejudice”, For example, when veganism was viewed primarily as a “self-centered” dietary choice, rather than “ethical or environmentally conscious veganism”, vegans may choose veganism as more of a statement of broader social values such as empathy and environmental impact.
But an image favored by healthy vegans in the dating scene may be influenced by perceptions of people as being very ‘precious’ or ‘expensive’, and thus not a guarantee of happiness in a relationship.
The study had some limitations, as the researchers only considered participants of the opposite sex and evaluated their opposite-sex profiles. Additionally, the study’s focus on Poland’s meat-eating tradition and traditional gender roles raised concerns about the impact of these profiles on participants’ non-heterosexual relationships.
Researchers claim that gender roles and dietary decisions due to social associations based on meat consumption pose challenging obstacles for vegetarian men. Nevertheless, changing views on masculinity in modern times may reshape the perception of vegetarian men in the future.
The paper titled “Dating a vegetarian? Perceptions of masculinity, attractiveness, and willingness to date vegetarians” was written by Dominika Adamczyk, John B. Nezlek, and Doe. They believe that no small human being can taste a vegetarian’s food.